Discussion Apple Silicon SoC thread

Eug · Nov 10, 2020

M1
5 nm
Unified memory architecture - LP-DDR4
16 billion transistors

8-core CPU

4 high-performance cores
192 KB instruction cache
128 KB data cache
Shared 12 MB L2 cache

4 high-efficiency cores
128 KB instruction cache
64 KB data cache
Shared 4 MB L2 cache
(Apple claims the 4 high-effiency cores alone perform like a dual-core Intel MacBook Air)

8-core iGPU (but there is a 7-core variant, likely with one inactive core)
128 execution units
Up to 24576 concurrent threads
2.6 Teraflops
82 Gigatexels/s
41 gigapixels/s

16-core neural engine
Secure Enclave
USB 4

Products:
$999 ($899 edu) 13" MacBook Air (fanless) - 18 hour video playback battery life
$699 Mac mini (with fan)
$1299 ($1199 edu) 13" MacBook Pro (with fan) - 20 hour video playback battery life

Memory options 8 GB and 16 GB. No 32 GB option (unless you go Intel).

It should be noted that the M1 chip in these three Macs is the same (aside from GPU core number). Basically, Apple is taking the same approach which these chips as they do the iPhones and iPads. Just one SKU (excluding the X variants), which is the same across all iDevices (aside from maybe slight clock speed differences occasionally).

EDIT:

M1 Pro 8-core CPU (6+2), 14-core GPU
M1 Pro 10-core CPU (8+2), 14-core GPU
M1 Pro 10-core CPU (8+2), 16-core GPU
M1 Max 10-core CPU (8+2), 24-core GPU
M1 Max 10-core CPU (8+2), 32-core GPU

M1 Pro and M1 Max discussion here:

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M1 Ultra discussion here:

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M2 discussion here:

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Second Generation 5 nm
Unified memory architecture - LPDDR5, up to 24 GB and 100 GB/s
20 billion transistors

8-core CPU

4 high-performance cores
192 KB instruction cache
128 KB data cache
Shared 16 MB L2 cache

4 high-efficiency cores
128 KB instruction cache
64 KB data cache
Shared 4 MB L2 cache

10-core iGPU (but there is an 8-core variant)
3.6 Teraflops

16-core neural engine
Secure Enclave
USB 4

Hardware acceleration for 8K h.264, h.264, ProRes

M3 Family discussion here:

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M4 Family discussion here:

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Eug · Oct 23, 2024

The Hardcard said:
My ideal UI would be a modernized Nextstep.

Well, some might argue OS X Aqua is modernized NeXTSTEP.

Doug S · Oct 23, 2024

Eug said:
Well, some might argue OS X Aqua is modernized NeXTSTEP.

I mean, it literally is.

FlameTail · Oct 24, 2024

jdubs03 said:
I’d say the 8 Elite and the Summit as a whole was a bright spot in all of this.
But the rest? Ranges from meh to not good.

M4 Pro and M4 Max will be interesting to see.

poke01 · Oct 24, 2024

Theres so many unknows with M4 Pro/Max, previously Mark Gurman leaked the core counts and available memory for the Pro/Max at least 4-5 months prior launch. This time no leaks.

Either the core counts/RAM is the same as M3 Pro/Max or Mark Gurman didn't care to. He only leaked the base M4 core counts/RAM which is 10CPU/10GPU or 8CPU/8GPU and 16GB or 32GB memory.

mvprod123 · Oct 24, 2024

https://twitter.com/x/status/1849484363165213148

The Hardcard · Oct 24, 2024

This feels like an annoying and frustrating decision. It’s hard to imagine how these presentations could be done that will make me anything but irked that they are dragging it out over several days. If they take 2 or more days just talking about base M4 products, my head will be at risk of explosion.

name99 · Oct 24, 2024

The Hardcard said:
This feels like an annoying and frustrating decision. It’s hard to imagine how these presentations could be done that will make me anything but irked that they are dragging it out over several days. If they take 2 or more days just talking about base M4 products, my head will be at risk of explosion.

Things that could be announced include
- obviously Apple Intelligence v18.1, rah, rah

- something around Private Compute Cloud (there's a BIG potential here that people are ignoring) Maybe even a video showing (some small part of) an Apple data center packed with some sort of Apple Silicon?

- new M4 HW (and probably Pro, and Max???) Of course we'd also like to see the form of "beyond Max" but that's probably going to get it's own big deal

- new Apple TV?

- AirPods Pro 3?

- new (not especially exciting, but w/ USB not lightning) trackpad, mouse, keyboard. Maybe even new charging hardware or magsafe battery.

- new Studio Display? (This one is especially interesting. I've mentioned before a striking idea in which Apple may be taking displays, if they can get the tech to work. Let's see if it's ready...)

- the new Home thing that supposedly has a screen?

- changes to the Services side (eg the rumors of new Game Pass, or some sort of deal w/ content providers for Apple TV -- cf the initial tentative steps to put a few non Apple movies on Apple TV over the past year)

- even something finance/Apple Wallet related?

There's a lot they COULD do if they want to make the week feel packed and every group with a small thing wants to get it announced by video, not by random press release the way it usually happens for the small things.

DZero · Oct 24, 2024

name99 said:
Things that could be announced include
- obviously Apple Intelligence v18.1, rah, rah

- something around Private Compute Cloud (there's a BIG potential here that people are ignoring) Maybe even a video showing (some small part of) an Apple data center packed with some sort of Apple Silicon?

- new M4 HW (and probably Pro, and Max???) Of course we'd also like to see the form of "beyond Max" but that's probably going to get it's own big deal

- new Apple TV?

- AirPods Pro 3?

- new (not especially exciting, but w/ USB not lightning) trackpad, mouse, keyboard. Maybe even new charging hardware or magsafe battery.

- new Studio Display? (This one is especially interesting. I've mentioned before a striking idea in which Apple may be taking displays, if they can get the tech to work. Let's see if it's ready...)

- the new Home thing that supposedly has a screen?

- changes to the Services side (eg the rumors of new Game Pass, or some sort of deal w/ content providers for Apple TV -- cf the initial tentative steps to put a few non Apple movies on Apple TV over the past year)

- even something finance/Apple Wallet related?

There's a lot they COULD do if they want to make the week feel packed and every group with a small thing wants to get it announced by video, not by random press release the way it usually happens for the small things.

Apple TV with M processor could be added with Apple Arcade and compatibilty with some newer games.

poke01 · Oct 24, 2024

The Hardcard said:
This feels like an annoying and frustrating decision. It’s hard to imagine how these presentations could be done that will make me anything but irked that they are dragging it out over several days. If they take 2 or more days just talking about base M4 products, my head will be at risk of explosion.

Apple releases by product, not by chip.

The iMac will be boring as it’s just the M4 chip but I bet that’s first.

Then things get more interesting I wouldn’t mind either the Mac mini or MacBook Pro on day 2. We will be getting new chips/new design for these.

My theory:
Day 1: iMac with M4
Day 2: Mac mini with M4/M4 Pro
Day 3: MacBook Pro with M4/Pro/Max.

Mopetar · Oct 24, 2024

The iMac has been boring for a long time now. They only make a 24" model and don't offer anything above the baseline M-series APU.

I wish they would make a high-end ("Pro") model that has a 27" (or larger) display and uses the Pro/Max line of chips. Maybe they're fine not doing that because they figure most people can just buy a Mac Studio instead, but it's not exactly difficult for them to put that same hardware in an iMac given they can fit it all into a MacBook.

They also need to support users adding their own additional M.2 drive. I'll accept soldered RAM as a trade off for better performance and smaller form factor, but there's no reason not to let users toss in their own M.2 drive for added storage.

Doug S · Oct 24, 2024

DZero said:
Apple TV with M processor could be added with Apple Arcade and compatibilty with some newer games.

They have consistently used iPhone SoCs in Apple TV and that looks to continue IMHO. I would say if Apple TV is revved next week there is a 99% chance it uses A17P (they would have millions of extra stockpiled to handle the highest possible projections of the last few months of iPhone 15 Pro/Max demand) which may be more than iPad Mini can soak up.

DZero · Oct 24, 2024

Doug S said:
They have consistently used iPhone SoCs in Apple TV and that looks to continue IMHO. I would say if Apple TV is revved next week there is a 99% chance it uses A17P (they would have millions of extra stockpiled to handle the highest possible projections of the last few months of iPhone 15 Pro/Max demand) which may be more than iPad Mini can soak up.

Indeed, but don't forget the SE4 which will have it too.
Still A17 would be enough for games. And 8K.

I still wait Genshin on Apple TV, now it could be the chance, it would be funny that this year in 2 more platforms that game appears: XBox and Apple TV.

The Hardcard · Oct 24, 2024

poke01 said:
Apple releases by product, not by chip.

The iMac will be boring as it’s just the M4 chip but I bet that’s first.

Then things get more interesting I wouldn’t mind either the Mac mini or MacBook Pro on day 2. We will be getting new chips/new design for these.

My theory:
Day 1: iMac with M4
Day 2: Mac mini with M4/M4 Pro
Day 3: MacBook Pro with M4/Pro/Max.

Yes, I don’t rule out that the Mini with the Pro chip could come later, so I was thinking about the Mini and the iMac taking up 2 days.

There is a certain logic that could have them do the Macbooks first, I am hopeful, given my primary interest in the M4 Max. I am actually looking to doing the financial gymnastics needed to get one and dabbling with LLMs and other generative AI.

I am aching to get the memory bandwidth details. I can see them cutting the bus to 384-bit, but I hold hope that they don’t given that they are selling a lot of the top spec M3 Max versions. I would be so happy if they raised the bandwidth above 1 TB/s. It has been sitting heavy on my mind for months now, which is why dragging it out multiple days and having the Macbooks be last would have me smoldering.

Doug S · Oct 25, 2024

DZero said:
Indeed, but don't forget the SE4 which will have it too

SE4 is getting A18, not A17P.

mvprod123 · Saturday at 10:38 AM

https://twitter.com/x/status/1850101748364660745

mvprod123 · Monday at 11:14 AM

Apple introduces new iMac supercharged by M4 and Apple Intelligence

Apple today announced the new iMac, featuring the powerful M4 chip and Apple Intelligence, in its stunning, ultra-thin design.

www.apple.com

New iMac with M4

mvprod123 · Monday at 11:24 AM

New M4 tech specs from Apple. I don't remember Apple describing its microarchitecture in such detail.

mvprod123 · Monday at 11:27 AM

mvprod123 said:
Apple introduces new iMac supercharged by M4 and Apple Intelligence

Apple today announced the new iMac, featuring the powerful M4 chip and Apple Intelligence, in its stunning, ultra-thin design.

www.apple.com

New iMac with M4

Finally

mvprod123 · Monday at 11:29 AM

Four TB4 ports

https://twitter.com/x/status/1850919070436303217

Meteor Late · Monday at 11:38 AM

mvprod123 said:
New M4 tech specs from Apple. I don't remember Apple describing its microarchitecture in such detail.
View attachment 110453
View attachment 110454

The reason is simple, they have not touched the P core much all these years lol, not much to talk about.

poke01 · Monday at 11:42 AM

Meteor Late said:
The reason is simple, they have not touched the P core much all these years lol, not much to talk about.

Yeah, M4 is the biggest P core upgrade so far. So they have a lot to say this time

poke01 · Monday at 11:45 AM

mvprod123 said:
View attachment 110455Finally

Last time they mentioned that in a press release was M1.

Eug · Monday at 11:51 AM

Base iMac pricing has stayed the same at US$1299, but now it starts at 16 GB memory. (256 GB storage stays the same.) However, 8 GB upgrade pricing (for a total of 24 GB) is still $200.

soresu · Monday at 12:05 PM

Eug said:
Base iMac pricing has stayed the same at US$1299, but now it starts at 16 GB memory. (256 GB storage stays the same.) However, 8 GB upgrade pricing (for a total of 24 GB) is still $200.

Annoying as hell that 3D NAND keeps improving, but storage options in actual products seem to remain stagnant.

poke01 · Monday at 12:14 PM

M4 supports 8K 120Hz display out via TB4 using DSC.

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